Finding the Tunic of the Hero in Tears of the Kingdom is basically a rite of passage if you grew up playing the original NES Zelda. Honestly, there is something deeply surreal about seeing Link’s modern, high-definition model wearing the bright, simplified green threads from 1986. It looks a bit goofy. It looks iconic. Most importantly, it's a piece of history hidden under miles of rock and gloom.
You don't just stumble upon this thing while picking Sundelions.
The Tunic of the Hero TotK isn't sitting in a shop window in Lookout Landing. Instead, Nintendo tucked it away in the Depths, specifically within the Dueling Canyons Mine. If you’ve spent any time underground, you know that navigating the Depths is a headache. It's dark. It’s oppressive. You’re constantly worried about running into an Obsidian Frox. But for those who want that "Hero of Legend" look, the trek is mandatory.
The Hunt for the Tunic of the Hero TotK
Getting to the Dueling Canyons Mine isn't actually that hard if you have a decent map of the surface. Think about where the Dueling Peaks are. Now, imagine the inverted version of that geography. In Tears of the Kingdom, the Depths are a topographical mirror of the surface. Mountains become canyons. Rivers become impenetrable walls. To find the Tunic of the Hero, you're heading to the coordinates 1281, -1810, -0749.
Don't just dive down any random hole. The easiest way to reach this spot is by diving into the West Necluda Surface Chasm. It’s south of the Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower. Once you hit the bottom, you’ll want to head southeast. It’s a bit of a haul. Bring plenty of Brightbloom Seeds because the terrain here is jagged and frustrating.
When you finally reach the Dueling Canyons Mine, you aren't looking for a boss fight. You're looking for a chest. It’s sitting right there in the center of the abandoned mining structure. Open it up, and you’ve got the tunic. It starts with a base defense of 3. That’s... not great. But the value here isn't the armor rating; it's the fact that you look like the 8-bit sprite that started this whole franchise.
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Why the Depths?
Nintendo made a specific choice to put all the "legacy" armor sets—the stuff from Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess—in the Depths. In Breath of the Wild, most of this was locked behind amiibo paywalls. In Tears of the Kingdom, you can actually earn it through exploration. It turns the Depths into a giant museum of Zelda history.
Finding the Tunic of the Hero feels like digging up an artifact. It makes sense, right? The Depths are where the old things go to be forgotten.
Upgrading the Hero Set
Look, if you actually want to wear this thing into a fight against a Gleeok, you need to visit the Great Fairies. The Tunic of the Hero belongs to the "Hero Set," which also includes the Cap of the Hero and the Trousers of the Hero. Each piece requires specific materials to upgrade.
Specifically, you’re going to need:
- Ruby
- Star Fragments
- Pieces of various dragons (like Dinraal or Farosh)
It is expensive. Like, seriously expensive. Rubies are a precious resource for fuse attacks or selling for Rupees, so dumping them into a cosmetic tunic is a commitment. If you manage to upgrade the entire set to level two, you get a "Master Sword Beam Up" set bonus. It’s okay. It’s fine. It’s not going to replace your Fierce Deity armor or your Zonaite set for high-level play, but it’s a fun novelty.
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The Misconception About Old Maps
A lot of players think you need an Old Map to find the Tunic of the Hero. You don't. Old Maps are just markers. They put a little "X" on your Depths map to show you where a treasure is. If you already know where the mine is, the map is redundant. You can find the Old Map for this tunic on an island in the North Necluda Sky Archipelago, but honestly? Save yourself the time and just go straight to the coordinates.
Navigating the Dueling Canyons
The area around the mine is treacherous. If you aren't careful, you'll find yourself stuck at the bottom of a ravine with no stamina. I usually suggest building a simple Hover Bike (two fans and a steering stick) to zip across the gaps. The Depths are much less intimidating when you're flying over the pools of gloom.
When you arrive at the mine, take a second to look around. These abandoned mines are some of the coolest environmental storytelling in the game. Who was mining here? The Zonai? Ancient Hylians? The game doesn't give you a straight answer, but standing there in the green tunic of a dead king makes the silence feel a lot heavier.
Strategic Value
Is it worth it?
Strictly speaking, from a gameplay perspective, no. There are better tunics. The Champion's Leathers provide more defense and a better ability. The Glide Suit is more practical for movement. But Zelda has always been about the vibe. The Tunic of the Hero TotK is for the players who want to take screenshots at the top of Temple of Time while the sun sets. It's for the people who remember the gold cartridge on the NES.
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How to Actually Get It Done
Stop overthinking the route. Here is the move:
- Warp to the Sahasra Slope Skyview Tower.
- Launch yourself and glide south toward the West Necluda Chasm.
- Drop down. Light the Soatosi Lightroot immediately so you can see.
- Move southeast. Use your Scope to pin the coordinates 1281, -1810, -0749.
- Throw Brightblooms like your life depends on it.
- Find the stone structure of the Dueling Canyons Mine.
- Open the chest.
Don't bother fighting the monsters along the way if you’re low on hearts. Just run. The Depths are about efficiency. Once you have the tunic, you can warp out and head to a Great Fairy to see the absurd material cost for yourself.
The Tunic of the Hero is a trophy. It’s a way to tell the game that you’ve mastered the surface and you’re now reclaiming the past from the dark. It’s one of the most satisfying "finds" in the game because it links the very first Zelda adventure to the newest one. Grab your Rubies, get your Star Fragments, and go see a Great Fairy. You've earned the right to look like a classic hero.
Next Steps for the Completionist:
- Hunt the rest of the set: The Cap of the Hero is located in the Tuft Canyon Mine, and the Trousers are in the Toppled Canyon Mine. You'll need all three for the set bonus.
- Farm Rubies early: Hit the ore deposits in the Eldin region. You're going to need dozens of them to reach the max defense tier for this legacy armor.
- Mark your Lightroots: Every Lightroot corresponds to a Shrine on the surface. If you've found the Shrine near the Dueling Peaks, you'll know exactly where the Lightroot is to illuminate your path to the tunic.